The Story of the Silver Feather
by MysticStoryteller
Summary: Jeb stayed and watched the night for a moment. He hadn’t been done with that experiment. He had had other plans for him. If Jeb ever got a hold of Arthur, he would finish what he started. Slight MaxFang. Rated T for Blood and Violence.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. I wish I did. I dream of owning a book period. But I don't. Sorry.

A/N: Hey everyone. I thought I'd take another shot with Maximum Ride. I'm please about how this one worked out. It is very promising. Don't expect a chapter every week. I will try to write several chapters so that I have slack. Please read and review. I will give you a cookie if you do. Hehe. Enjoy. Please tell me what you think.

No longer. I couldn't stand this. The School was too much for me. It was night and I had been able to pick the lock on my cage. "_No one will notice..._"I thought.

I opened the cage and it emitted the familiar rusted metal sound. I couldn't tell you how many times Ari had snuck me out into the rain to punish me. As I quietly sneaked out, I saw my friend, Gabriella looking out at me. She was partial lizard. Her cage had been next to mine for a very long time. We had become friends and she was the only part of The School that I would miss. She stared at me. She said nothing; she had lost her voice years ago when they had worked on her, but still, I knew exactly what she was thinking. _"Where are you going?" _Her worried eyes asked.

I looked into her eyes "Listen, I'm sorry Gabi. I have to leave. I will come back for you though…Someday." I said softly. For a moment I thought about it. Could I really do that? Could I really come back for her? Maybe not…I couldn't be sure. Even Gabi knew that. Her eyes told me. I started again "If I don't…remember me." She nodded solemnly, her eyes still full with concern. "Goodbye Gabi." I squeezed her hand and sneaked out of the room before any of the other mutants could see the tear that went down my cheek. _"It was dark and it's okay to cry,"_ I told myself. No matter. It was over anyway.

I crept down the hospital white hallways. All was silent. I opened a door quietly. I turned to see several computers still online. Perfect. I sat down in front of a computer and peered over the monitor. There was a window. It looked out onto a long platform that led to several bird cages. The testing room. I grew up there. It was where some of the mutants were put when they were still being worked on. I remembered the fear of seeing nothing but black below and above me. About once every week a doctor came to check on these patients. But there were more rooms like this. More mutants that were being abused. It was painful.

I focused all my attention back to the computer. Something inside nagged at me and told me that this was too easy. I didn't care. Some of the work had already been done for me. The rest was easy. I clicked on the icon that said 'experiments,' then clicked on 'avian experiments.' There, I saw seven experiments, including my own. I printed out each and every one of pages of the information on the other bird children. I was not shocked that there were more like me… More like pleasantly surprised. I needed to find them…and fast. Lastly, I printed out my own. Next to each one of the names, was a small rotating picture of the experiment. I memorized the pictures and the information, in case I should lose it. It was important. Very important.

I hurried out of the room, as fast as I could. It was time to get out of here. I walked so fast that I neglected to notice that I walked through a red security beam. The sirens started howling. I fumed for a moment and broke into a run. All around I began to hear yelling. I ran faster. They'd set the Erasers after me.

I heard the unmistakable voice of Ari yelling. He knew what had happened. He knew exactly who had gotten free. "You idiots! It's Arthur!" There was silence. No one knew my real name. Heck, no one knew the name I had given myself. Cherubim.

I ran as fast as I could. I could hear the Eraser's big furry feet pounding after me. I pushed open a door and felt open air. I was in what Ari called, "the playground", the only actual place where they let us out of our cages. It was only to make sure out legs still worked and to see if we'd been defective or not. Not that it really mattered to them. I stuffed the printed pages in my pocket and prepared to take off.

I snapped open my silver wings. They stretched in the open air. They hadn't been out in a while. They caught on to the air, just as the Erasers, Ari and Jeb rushed through the door. Ari yelled insults after me. Some of them are not fit to write down on paper. Jeb just stared at me. I knew he cared nothing about me which was more than he offered to Ari. He loved the Flock. I was about to become one of them. He was in the middle of admiration and anger. He was angry that his last experiment was leaving. But he still admired seeing me fly. He thought his experiment was complete. But as he became more distant and more distant, I frankly didn't care. I was going to find the Flock.

A/N: I do hope you enjoyed it. I think this is going to be a great one. Please do enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: TO all lawyers: I do not own this book. You may put down your knives now.

A/N: Here be the next chapter. Thank you for your fabulous reviews, I hope to get even more this time. Invite your friends to read and review too. I love hearing what people think. So who wants the Maximum Ride movie to happen? I do. How are you guys pulling for on the commercial? I'm going with Amy on this one, although both are good. Well, this one focuses on Jeb and Ari. It's kinda sad, but it was really fun to write. Especially the last part. Next chapter will be from Cherubim's point of view and then the one after that is about Max. It'll be like this. You'll get to hear from everyone's point of view. I've been writing like crazy working on both this and my book. The next two chapters are done, so they will be posted soon. Many thanks to my beta NarninanSprite. She deserves mad props for the work she does. She's amazing. Alright, enjoy!

Jeb was enraged. How could his son, his only son, fail him? This was ridiculous. All the Erasers stared at him dumbly. He looked at them for a moment. These creatures were worthless, completely worthless. They were half wolf, half human hybrids with big, awkward wings. And then he thought of his Flock. They were beautiful, aerodynamic, sleek and his best creations. And now his last one had escaped. The one that he had needed. The one that was going to help him. Besides, none of the other bird children actually knew about him. What was the point in going to find them anyways?

"Go back inside!" Jeb yelled. He stood there for a moment, calming down, getting his wits about him. Ari stayed and looked at him. "You too." Jeb confirmed. Ari hesitated and then left, slamming the door hard, not only on his father, but on a perfectly good chance to talk to his dad about the love he needed. He didn't care.

Jeb stayed and watched the night for a moment. He hadn't been done with that experiment. He had had other plans for him. However, those plans had been on hold because of complications with another mutant. If Jeb ever got a hold of Arthur, he would finish what he had started.

Back inside, Ari was fuming. Arthur had been somewhat of a friend. Not anymore. Never again. Arthur always said that if he wanted to get his father's attention he should tell him. Arthur was worthless. He gave useless advice.

Ari stared at his fist. "This power is mine," he told himself. He strode to where the seventh bird kid had formerly slept. Ari saw several other Erasers and said, "Come here, guys. We've got business to do." The Erasers grinned and followed him. They knew what he meant by business.

Gabriella sat terrified in her cage as the Erasers filed into the room with treacherous smiles on their faces. Ari was leading them. He grinned down at her, showing his glinting wolf teeth.

He smiled "So…lizard girl would you like to get out of this cage?"

She nodded. She knew not to trust him. She also knew that he had beaten mutants when they didn't answer his questions.

He unlatched her cage tantalizingly. "You can come out if you tell us where he's going." The rest of the Erasers laughed, Ari knew full well she couldn't talk.

Gabriella crawled out but before she could stand up, Ari grabbed her by the throat. "Oh that's right…You can't talk can you?"

Her eyes screamed fear. She gasped for air as Ari's grip tightened. "Come on, don't be bashful, tell us where he is," Ari coaxed. This was fun for him. He knew exactly where the kid was going. No lizard mutant had to tell him that.

Gabriella tried to kick and pound with her fists. "Now, now, don't be too hasty."

He dropped her to the ground. She breathed in air as fast as she could, in case he should try to do that again.

Ari smiled. "Do you see this claw?" He held up his dangerously sharp, furry fist. "This claw can send men through titanium walls." He advanced and Gabriella backed up, watching him with untrusting eyes. "This fist can choke the life out of men." With every step he took, Gabriella pushed herself backward "This fist can pierce straight through men's flesh." He paused and grinned wickedly "This claw can kill little lizard girls." He picked her up by the throat and slashed her through the heart.

A/N: OHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOO! Sad eh? Yes…poor Gabby. Oh well. Her death was fun to write though. I know, I know its mean. I'm sorry. Say "Ari is mean" in your review if you have read my author notes.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Anyone who thinks I own Maximum Ride please stand up. No, you can sit down, because I don't.

A/N: hullo all! I'm glad you liked that last chapter. Yes, poor Gabby is dead. tear tear It'll make sense later. Trust me. This one is interesting. I have some other good ones coming up. You guys'll like the fifth chapter. I do think you will. grins Thanks again to my lovely beta: NarnianSprite. It's pretty much her fault that I'm a writer grins. Thank her. She's amazing. Plus, not only did she edit this chapter, but she also mentioned this story in one of her author notes! Yay! Go her! Please do thank her. In other news, I'm working on an X-men and Hollow Kingdom fan fiction. Those won't be posted really soon. I have to decide what to do with my other two fics first. But keep your eyes open for those. Well, enjoy!

The moon shone down on me lovingly. It was nice. I remember the moon being the first thing I saw. I loved it. I still do. I missed it and, strangely enough…it seemed to feel the same. The stars winked at me. I had missed them too.

I tossed and flipped in the night air, trying to remember how to fly and do tricks. It was coming back, like riding a bike. It was my first time flying in the open air. I loved it more than anything.

I remembered Ari's screams. He would never admit it, but he actually talked to me sometimes. I mean, although he wasn't exactly a nice guy, but he would actually tell me how he felt. I know he really wanted love from his father, which he never got. But seriously, his dad turned him into a half wolf. That's a definite sign. Still…he was pretty frightening. He was a bratty seven-year-old with wings that could bash my head open. I could never relax around him.

The sweat on my forehead and brown hair was beginning to dry. That escape shook me up. I couldn't get over seeing Ari and Jeb's faces.

I looked up at the moon. It shone off my wings beautifully. I saw a small cloud that was creeping across the moon. Then I heard a rumble of thunder. I glanced behind me. There. The School. I could still barely see it. And above it was a huge black angry cloud. I flew faster. I would have to take shelter. At first I didn't want to, but I thought it might be a good idea to go over that information. I still needed to find out where the rest of my kind were located.

The rain began to fall. One drop and then hundreds. I looked back. My wings were getting soaked. I knew by common knowledge not to seek refuge in a tree. I looked around. I saw lights from across the tree tops. A city. Perfect. If only I could get there before my wings got too wet.

I veered over to the right as lightning flashed again. I was completely wet by now. Hopefully the pages were still somewhat dry and the ink hadn't run.

By now I was over the city. It was a large city. The lights caught the raindrops so that they looked like crystals before they crashed down on the asphalt street.

I found a nice, dry subway station. I was extremely glad that it was abandoned. Plus, there was a sufficient amount of light from a flickering subway light above me.

I sat down on a bench and fished out the pages of information. In horror I saw that they were completely smudged. I tossed them away and stood up. I huffed in frustration and punched the wall.

I curled up on the bench and sighed. Another tear rolled down my cheek. I was tired of being strong. I was tired of not crying. The tears hit the cold, dirty subway floor. Closing my eyes, the tears kept coming. I no longer cared. Let them come. I slipped into a brief sleep.

When I awoke I looked around. My eyes were red. I rubbed them and stretched. I felt at a loss. I had no idea where I was going. It was hopeless.

I walked over to the stairs and as I was about to climb them, something caught my eye. It was in the shadows on the train tracks. I walked over to it. What was it? Could it help me find the rest of the bird children? I only hoped.

There…in the darkness was a white bird feather.

A/N: Ohhhhhh! Interesting eh? Well thanks for reading this. In your review say: "NarnianSprite's the best beta ever!" thehe. Another post will come soon. Thanks again! Can't wait to hear what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Okay so, do I own Maximum Ride? No.

A/N: Hey everyone. Here's the next chapter. I've been working on all my fan fictions and they are all coming well. I'm pretty excited. I'm working on a Van Helsing, Hollow Kingdom, and X-Men fan fiction, so watch for those. And just to let you guys know, I intended to finish this one. Well, enjoy! Oh and thanks to the most amazing beta ever: NarnianSprite! You go girl!

Maximum Ride sat in her small room at Anne's house. She wasn't sure who to trust outside of her own Flock. She'd been trained that way…

Her mind swam with questions. She couldn't take it anymore. She needed to get out. Max stood up from her bed and opened the window. The cool air rushed in. It had been cloudy before, but now the sky was clear and beautiful. That huge cloud that had hung over Max's head all day was now far away on the horizon. It had gathered up enough rain so that it now was storming in…New York, Max guessed.

She swung herself out the window and she began to fall. Just before she hit the ground, her wings snapped out and she caught the down drift. She landed on the soft grass. She spread her wings wide. They were sore from being pushed for most of the day.

With one quick swish of her wings, Max flew up in the air. She sped through the air. She turned and floated in the air. Below her, staring from her window was Fang. He stared at her black silhouette against the moon. And for once, just once, he let his feelings show. Quickly, he put them back in their place and left the room.

Back up in the air, Max flew around, chasing her thoughts. One thought, in particular had caught her attention: _"Were there other bird kids out in the world?"_ Max couldn't say. One part hoped…the other doubted. It was unlikely that Jeb would make another one…or was it? Was it ridiculous to think that there might be someone who could understand? Someone who…knew?

The Voice in Max's head piped up _"Never doubt possibilities." _It told her.

Max rolled her eyes. It was simply wonderful to have a voice inside your head that probably had drawers full of wise sayings for any occasion. She quickly folded in her wings and began to drop to the ground. She flipped several times and then floated in the air just above the ground for a moment. She snapped in her wings and landed coolly on the ground.

She checked her surroundings. Okay maybe she had flown too far. She shrugged and flew up into the air again, heading for home.

Before long, Max was back at the house. She slid through the window and closed it. There, in Max's room, was Angel.

"Hi!" She waved. She smiled cutely, her blonde hair bouncing.

Max grinned "And what are you still doing up?" The smile left her face "You should be in bed. We've got school tomorrow."

"Yeah I know." Angel sighed.

Max smiled "Well, tomorrow is Friday. You can sleep in Saturday." Angel's face brightened. She loved weekends. "Goodnight." They stacked their hands as custom, and Max kissed Angel on the head.

Just as Angel was leaving, she asked, "Max…do you think that there are more like us out there?" She smirked.

Max glared. "You read my thoughts again didn't you?" Angel nodded. "Please don't make a habit of that."

Angel smiled. "Okay. All I read was the thing about other bird kids and...something about that guy as school…uh…Sam being cute." She grinned.

"Angel!" Max protested. This was ridiculous. The kid could not be stopped. Her face softened. She couldn't stay mad at Angel. It wasn't possible. "Alright…it was just a thought. I mean, haven't you ever thought about it?" She asked.

Angel contemplated it for a moment. "Yup." She nodded.

"How would you feel about that?" Max looked at Angel, expectantly. "I mean, how would you feel about another bird kid joining the Flock? That is, if one showed up," she clarified.

Angel grinned. "I'd love it."

Max smirked at Angel. She was so young and so adorable. How could she not want to accept another bird kid into the family?

"Well, goodnight!" Angel ran out of the room and off to her own.

Max thought for a moment. She guessed that it might be easier for the younger members of her Flock, like Gazzy, Angel and Nudge, to accept another bird kid into the family. They were young, it wasn't like they had any trouble with wanting to keep things the way they were. For the older members, though, like Iggy, Fang and herself, it might be more difficult. They had lived like this for fourteen years. It would be hard for them to change.

Max sighed. She would only have to make a decision if one showed up. Another bird kid might never appear, so why should she worry? Getting up from her bed, Max turned off the light and lied down on her bed. Little did Max know that that time might be close at hand.

A/N: Oh what now? Yes, it is close at hand. Say "vampire" in your review if you have read my author notes! Thank you for reading! See you next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: If you think I own Maximum Ride, you would be mistaken.

A/N: Hey again everyone! I love this chapter and hopefully you guys will too. Thanks again to my lovely beta NarnianSprite. She is amazing yes. My Van Helsing fan fiction will be coming out sometime this week. There will be no posts this weekend. I'll be on a small hiatus. Well, enjoy.

It was dark. Nighttime. I checked my surroundings. I loved the night. I just never liked night in New York City. Sure, New York was the bomb. But I hated crime. I also had a tendency to be suspicious. I was in a dark alleyway. I glanced around the street. Was it just me or was that thug coming straight toward me? I looked again. Yep, there he was. He strode toward me. That club in his hand looked pretty risky.

I took in my surroundings. Great! The only ways to get out of the alley was either up or out into the open street, the other side was of the alley was a dead end. Ah, the classic dead end. I rolled my eyes. The thug entered, a couple of gang members behind him, and he had a dumb smirk on his face. I figured this guy probably hadn't gone to Harvard.

"Lookie here guys," he chuckled. "A little kid."

I glared. "Bring it on, ugly."

He laughed. I glimpsed a small kinder side that might have been, but it quickly disappeared. He looked at the club in his hand. I smirked. This guy was large. He couldn't get me. I was fast. Obviously, though, this thug had no clue, which confirmed my earlier notion, and he ran towards me, swinging the club. I dodged. He ran into the wall and glared at me, which I returned with a grin "Bring. It. On." I challenged. Geez, this guy was making me feel very smart.

He ran at me again, this time his friends were poised to join in. One pulled out a knife and the other pulled out a gun. Great. I dodged the thug again and his gun henchman fired a shot. I winced, ready to be hit. Nothing happened.

I opened my eyes to look around. I was at the entrance of the alleyway. Huh? The gang turned to look at me, confused. The henchman with a knife ran at me. I closed my eyes; hoping whatever happened would happen again.

Again, I waited for the pain. Nothing happened. I flipped open my eyes. I was on top of the building. Again, the thugs were confused, but managed to spot me.

"This kid's a demon!" the knife thug cried out. They all began to yell among themselves. The first thought that I must be some kind of mutant with super powers and the second claimed that I was a magician, just trying to fake them out.

I looked to the rooftop across from me. Next stop: the roof. I focused hard and closed my eyes. The next thing I knew, I was exactly where I had planned. So I could teleport? Cool.

In a surge of excitement, I accidentally teleported myself down at the dead end section of the alleyway. Whoops! This wasn't good.

The first thug started laughing. "We got you now." He laughed harder as they closed in. I was terrified. I couldn't move. I wished that these guys would've seen what I'd been through. They'd cry like babies.

The gun man had recovered from shock, I closed my eyes and quickly tried to dodge, teleport, do something! Nothing happened. Then I felt a horrible, searing pain. It spread through my arm. I heard the gang laugh and then walk off.

I slowly opened my eyes. My arm was bleeding. I had been shot. Great.

I flew up to the rooftops. The sky was clear. Below, the lights of the city flickered.

Picking at my wound, more blood spit out. I looked to see where it had hit. Thankfully, it had not damaged the bone.

I winced. I really didn't want to do this.

Carefully I stuck my fingers in my arm. My bloody fingers searched until they found the bullet. Screaming, I pulled it out.

I looked at the bullet and then I threw it down into the alley.

How could this happen? I asked myself. Why?

I looked back down at my arm. It was completely healed. I smiled. Ha. Leave it to Jeb to give me some hand-dandy powers.

With that final thought, I extended my wings and burst into the sky with a smile on my face. I knew where to go next.

A/N: Exciting huh? Say "elf prince" in your review if you have read my author notes. Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: If I owned Maximum Ride, I probably wouldn't be writing this. I would be sitting in a mountain of money. So you can stop shooting me.

A/N: Hey again everyone! Yes, I know I just posted yesterday but this chapter is in honor of the new COMMERICAL! I loved it. Amy is an amazing Max! I really loved everything, except the narrator. He was cheesy. But the clothes and the hair, they were exactly how I imagined! Yay! Go Amy! Heck, go Max! She's awesome. If you haven't seen the commercial yet, check it out on YouTube or the Maximum Ride web site. Let me know what you think of it. By the way, while you're at the Max Ride official site, click for the movie. Only like a million more clicks to go! Alright, I would just like to say that I really want wings after reading the second book. Just a reminder, there will be no posts this weekend, so settle with this complementary one. Enjoy!

I flicked in my wings and landed at the door step. This was it. I checked the paper to see if this was the right address. Yup. It was.

I almost rang the door bell, but hesitated. Was I sure I wanted this? Yes, yes, I assured myself.

Was this the right house? Now that I didn't know. I thought up a quick plan and rang the door bell confidently.

The door cracked open. A little blond haired girl stood there. "Hello ma'am," I greeted. "I'm here with a survey." I smacked myself inwardly. A survey? Okay, it was lame…

"Hi, there." She smiled cutely. "You can show me your wings now."

I stood there with my jaw open.

Just then I heard a voice "Angel? Who's at the door?"

A pretty but tough looking girl walked to the door. She definitely had an attitude. She frowned. "Can I help you?"

"I, uh…"

"He's a bird kid just like us!" the little girl persisted.

"Angel!" the teen girl whispered fiercely.

"No, she's right…"

The girl stared. Then she screamed up the stairs "Iggy! Fang! Gazzy! Nudge! Get down here!"

They all filed down loudly. I looked at them, they stared at me.

"Team meeting!" the girl called, showing her superiority. They huddled in a circle.

I waited uncomfortably.

After several long moments, they broke the circle.

A teenage boy with light blond hair was the first one to speak. "So how do we know you're not a spy or lying to us?" he asked straight out. He was the blind one, I remembered.

I flipped out my wings. They stared in wonder. I shrugged. "I'm bad at lying."

A/N: Woah! Will Cherubim get to join the Flock? Find out in the next chapter! Thanks for reading! Say 'the Maximum Ride commercial ROCKS!' in your review if you have read my author notes!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. For gosh sakes I wish I did, but I do not. Sorry dears.

A/N: Hello again everyone! So sorry for small lack of updates. I've been busy. I have drama camp next week, but I'll try to update at least once if I can. The week after that I will be free so I'll try to update once or twice then. The two weeks after that however, I will be on hiatus. Sorry loves. I will try to get some work done on it while I am away, so don't worry about that. Who has seen the NEW Max Ride trailer? I like that one a lot better. Indeed I do. By the way, click more for the movie! We're almost there!!!! Thanks to me lovely beta NarnianSprite. She is wonderful indeed. Do drop by and read her stories, she is amazing. Well, heres the next chapter. Enjoy and review loves!

Okay, so maybe it was just Max, but she wasn't sure about this whole new bird kid thing. Yes, he was a bird kid and, yes, he had wings, but that didn't mean he wasn't a spy.

"I know I showed up kind of unexpectedly, but I had to find you guys," Arthur tried to explain.

"Why's that?" Nudge asked.

"I think Jeb is tracking you guys. He has information on his computer about all of you, and me."

"Uh, no, duh, we already kind of knew that," Iggy scowled.

Just then, a car pulled into the drive way.

"Anne's home!" Angel exclaimed. Anne was a CIA worker and she had taken them in, knowing full well who they were and that they had wings. Still, Max didn't fully trust her. Sure, it was nice having a beautiful home to live in, but something wasn't right.

Whoopie. More drama, Max thought. She would have to talk to the bird kids about all this. It was pretty overwhelming.

Anne got out of her car, wearing a woman's business suit. She took off her sunglasses. "Who's this?" she asked, oblivious.

"Uh. Hi. I'm Arthur," Cherubim smiled.

"Oh, well, hi there." She studied him. "You're not from school are you?"

"No, not the school you're thinking of."

She stared at him "So you're…one of them?" she asked in a hushed voice. He nodded.

"Well, I could house you for a while," she offered.

Arthur looked at each of the mutants. "As long as it's okay with them."

Max looked at Fang. He gave me an apprehensive look. "You can stay. As for joining the Flock, we'll have to talk about that."

Arthur nodded and said, "Thanks."

Walking into the house, Arthur caught up with Max. "Sorry. I really don't want to be intruding…" He said sincerely.

Max stared for a minute and said "No problem." She didn't want to trust him quite yet.

Up in front of the group Anne was talking excitedly. "We'll enroll you in school and you can have the top bunk in Fang's room. I'll go and get it ready." She rushed up the stairs and disappeared.

"Is she always like that?" Arthur asked.

"Yes," The whole Flock answered back in annoyed tones.

A/N: haha. I like that ending, although the ending of my last chapter was much better. I think I like that one best. Anyways, say "Code Lyoko" in your review if you have read my author notes. I love that show. See ya next chapter! waves


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Now, anyone who thinks I own Maximum Ride, raise their hand. No, no, you can put them down. I don't own Maximum Ride. Probably no one would like it if I owned it because it wouldn't be as genius as it is now. Sorry to disappoint.

A/N: I finished reading the third book of Maximum Ride! Whoopee! It was great. And while I was reading it, I got a revelation. I figured out how to end this fan fir! Further more, I actually finished it that day! Wow. I'm excited. I hope you guys like the ending. However…there is some bad news… I will not be able to post all of them before my two week vacation. Sorry… My beta will be gone while I'm still here, so she won't be able to edit my chapters. Sorry again. Anyways, thanks to my beta: NarnianSprite. She is wonderful. One last thing, keep clicking on the main site! Even if you already have, we're almost to five million! Keep it up! Well, enjoy!

After a long discussion, Max and the others all looked at Arthur. Fang knew what had gone on. He recalled exactly what was spoken in his head, replaying it like a film:

Mixed emotions from the group ran high as they all sat down at the table in Anne's house.

"Guys, we have a problem here," Max began.

"A problem?" Gazzy asked.

"Yeah," Max confirmed. "A big problem. I don't know if we can trust this guy. Fang, you've been with him the last few days, what's he like?"

Fang thought for a moment. "Pretty nice, very curious, honest, caring, animal lover. What can I say? The kid's almost perfect."

"Almost?" Max questioned.

"Yeah, one day I was on the computer with my wings out and, well, he came in. He was practically gaping. Then he told me all about his experiences at the School." Fang's dark eyes were worried, Max could tell. "He's a pretty honest kid."

"Well, are we bringin' him on the team?" Iggy asked.

"Are you guys in favor?" Max asked.

Angel nodded, followed by a somewhat reluctant Gazzy. Nudge came after that.

"Iggy?" Max noticed him thinking.

"He should prove himself." Iggy's blind eyes were set intently on the table. "But if we're just going to give him the benefit of a doubt, heck, sure." There was a small silence "Unless he turns out to be a spy. Then he's out."

"Fair enough," Max had said and the decision was made.

Another addition to the team. It seemed weird, out of the ordinary. Fang wasn't sure what to think. Could they trust him? That was a tough question to answer. Only the kids would fully trust him.

Fang snapped back as Max answered Arthur's question. "Yes. For now. But if you turn out to be a spy or screw up, you're out. And once you're out, there's no getting back in."

Arthur smiled. "Great. Thanks guys."

Iggy gazed through him intently. "Now you need a code name."

"I already have one," the winged kid answered. "It's Cherubim."

Nudge looked confused. "Cherubim? What kind of code name is that?"

"It's from the Bible," he informed her. Then he grinned. "Besides, what kind of a code name is Nudge?" Then the two burst out laughing.

"Don't get too comfortable here," Max told him quietly. "We might be leaving soon."

"Right." He nodded but then looked troubled. "There's something I need to do first."

A/N: I'll give an invisible cookie to anyone who can guess correctly what he's going to do. Yeah, it's probably easy. Oh well, still guess! If you have read my author notes say… "broomstick" in your review.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Mr. James Patterson is a renowned author who was written tons of books, including the Maximum Ride trilogy. My name is not James Patterson and I have not written tons of books (much to my despair.) So therefore, I don't own it.

A/N: Well hello again everyone! Bad news…my awesome beta did not want to spoil the book which was not in her library, so I had to edit this chapter on my own. Sorry if it is full of mistakes… But yes, it does have a spoiler. Sorry. Well, I won't be able to post all of the chapters before my two week hiatus (which starts on Saturday), again, sorry. Well...I might be able to, but don't count on it. The last chapter is chapter fourteen so I have (counts on fingers), 4 chapters to edit left by tomorrow. So don't expect it. Did you see what happened on Maximum I don't believe it…There'd better be a movie… (looks angry, hair starts flaming) oh ouch! Ahaha. Anyways, sorry about lack of updates. I had drama camp last week and I'm having a Harry Potter movie marathon this week so I've been busy wishing I wasn't a muggle. Thehe. Um, one last thing, I will be posting, right after I post this, a Van Helsing fan fiction. PLEASE READ IT! Alright, I've said enough. Well, enjoy!

I flew through the air with one destination in mind: The School. Yes I was going back. But before you start freaking out, I'll explain. I have a brain remember?

Remember Gabriella? Well, it was time I broke her out of that torture chamber. It should be easy with my awesome new superpowers right? Wrong. Still, my mind was made up. I had no idea what was in store.

I was feeling particularly giddy after my acceptance into the Flock. Yes, I had grown, over two days if you can believe it, to love them. They were awesome. Angel was sweet and cute, Gazzy was pretty funny, Nudge was the talkative one of the group, Iggy was pretty cool, and I kind of looked up to Fang and Max. They were a great flock. I couldn't have wished for a better one.

As soared over a nice quaint little town. The people below looked like ants. I would have stopped to rest, but it was a small town and I didn't have any time to spare. I had to get to the School as quick as I could.

My mind wandered about what Gabriella was doing right now. I hope she didn't think I had forgotten about her. How could I?

The School was getting close. For a moment, I was afraid. I didn't want to go back there. What if they caught me? I didn't want to be selfish but would Gabriella want me to get caught? Of course not. She would want me to keep the hard earned freedom I had received. Or would she?

I shook my head to rid it of those thoughts. I was going to go in there and get her. I had promised. I would do as much as I could to get her out of the School. If I failed, at least I had tried to do what was right. That's what friends did.

Before long, the School was close enough to be seen. I ignored all the thoughts about fleeing in my head. I could not turn back, not now. I would never forgive myself.

I landed, silently into the "playground", the very place I used to escape. Bitterness swelled deep within my core. I remembered the pain. I had spent the last few months running from it, suppressing it, but no longer.

I burst through the door and the sirens went off. I ignored them. This was the easiest root to the captivity room Gabriella was in.

Again, I heard the sound of the Erasers and several scientists were yelling at each other.

But I was determined to get Gabriella out of here. I was her only hope.

I kicked open the door of Gabriella's captivity room. I looked around. Her cage was gone. Where was she?

I bent down. I saw two glowing eyes I didn't recognize. "Please? Where is Gabriella?" I asked.

Two leopard spotted hands clutched the bars on the cage. "Gabriella?" The voice was musical sounding.

What ever was in the cage pushed its head close to the cage door. In the light I saw a human face with cat fur all over it. She also had cat eyes. "I think she's gone. I took her place."

I felt a sinking feeling. "Where did she go?" I asked hurriedly.

The cat-girl sounded dazed. "She's….dead."

"No...No! It's can't be!" I screamed.

A couple other voices in cages chimed in.

"Yes, she is."

"Arthur…I'm sorry."

"Go Arthur! She's gone!"

I stepped back, running into the wall. Hot tears caressed my face. This couldn't be! Why?!

The girl spoke up "Take me with you!" she looked at me with worried eyes.

Regaining a bit of my sanity, I rushed over to her cage. I grabbed the lock and then the Erasers and several whitecoats barged in, Jeb and Ari among them.

The Whitecoats grabbed me and I struggled. The last thing I remember seeing was Jeb's satisfied face and Ari smirking.

Then I woke up.

A/N: Ah, yes, major spoilers. Well, say "wand" in your review if you've read my author notes. Well, see you next chapter whether it's posted tomorrow or two weeks from now…well, bye!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. Sorry dear.

A/N: Well dearies, I'm back! So these chapters will be coming real fast. So bear with me. Alright, this chappie contains spoilers for the third book so BEWARE! Also, my Van Helsing story is up, please read and review it! And where have all ye gone? My readers have left my side. Is that it? Well not matter. I'll finish it anyway. Alright, here it be!

My eyes popped open furiously. It was like waking up from a bad dream. But as I was about to find out, the reality I awoke to was much more terrifying.

The light was blinding and I was strapped to a table. I recognized my surroundings at once: The School. I struggled against my bindings. Snapping my eyes shut, I tried to teleport off the table. I tried it once, twice and nothing happened.

Confused, I looked around. I jumped. Sitting next to me was…Ari. My face went hostile and I managed a furious scream. It was not as scary as I had hoped. My voice cracked and my throat was dry. It was more of a croak.

There was silence. I noticed that Ari was…different. He was a young boy and had no scars…strange. He looked as if he was sorry for me. Not like, sneering sorry. Like actually sorry. I ignored this; he probably was going to morph any minute.

He smiled sadly. "Hi." He greeted. "You've been asleep for days."

I gritted my teeth. "Why am I here!?" I screamed.

Ari rubbed his neck. "You're here to be exterminated."

"What?!" I wasn't screaming anymore but my eyes were as big as donuts. Normally extermination wasn't a good thing.

"We're all due to be retired." He pointed to some numbers on his neck that looked suspiciously like a date. "My time is almost up…" He looked unbearably sad.

"Ari…what's going on?" I had to have that question answered before I believed anything.

"All that…all your life ... It was all kind of like…a dream. Gabriella, those powers, getting shot, me beating you, escaping the school, everything."

This wasn't beyond my imagination. I had thought about it before. But boggarts it was confusing. "Why?" I asked in anguish. I almost couldn't believe it.

"They were preparing you I guess. But now, they've decided to destroy any experiment that wasn't useful to them." Ari looked away. "Including the rest of the Erasers. I'm the last one of my breed. They're going to wait until my expiration date is up…then I'm dead."

"What about the rest of the bird kids?" I asked frantically "I have to warn them!"

"Calm down." Ari told me. "They've been here all along. They just don't know it yet. But they will soon." He frowned. "I'm sorry."

"But why did they wait to tell me first?" I asked.

"Because you haven't been completed yet."

My racing thoughts froze. "What are you talking about?" My voice was shaking.

Ari smirked melancholic. "They don't call you Cherubim for nothing." My mouth dropped open. What on earth was he talking about?

Noticing my confusion the boy explained "You were supposed to be different from the others." He pulled a blue print out of his pocket and handed it to me. The blueprint showed an outline of a body with three wings sprouting out of the back. There were several notes showing how these wings would be attached and what the final product might fly like. I was to shocked to even bother reading those.

"Six wings?" I asked, shocked.

"Yeah. And Jeb wants to finish you. He was always too busy but now…he wants to finish the job he started."

This was a lot to take in. I breathed fast. My heart thumped so hard I was afraid it would burst.

The door drifted open like in a Star Wars movie. Ari stood up as a ten Whitecoats gathered in, Jeb following along behind them.

Ari looked at them, remorsefully. "I'm sorry Arthur." He whispered in my ear as Jeb began to tell everyone how the operation would take place. "I'm sorry I ruined your other life." Then he walked out of the room, looking behind him one last time.

A/N: Aw, so sad. Is Ari really being nice? We'll have to see. Thanks for reading! Please review! Say "Hogwarts" in your review if you have read my author notes.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: If I wrote Maximum Ride, no one would like it. That is why I am writing a book for my own and not claiming to own any of this. I am but a mere fan.

A/N: Well, I'm planning on editing all the rest of the chapters and posting them today! So it will be my FIRST completed story! I'm excited. Well, have fun reading!

I watched Ari go. I thought he must be telling the truth. He was much nicer either way. But still, something made me incredibly sad. It must have been the fact that all I had been through, everything that had happened to me never happened. It was incredibly depressing.

I turned my attention to Jeb who was lecturing the Whitecoats about how all this was supposed to work. "We will slowly insert the wings into the slits we have made in his back."

A woman with black whispy hair raised her hand.

Jeb acknowledged her. "Yes, Mariah?"

The woman had a high, pretty voice. But that didn't fool me. She was probably just new. "How will the wings actually connect to his back bone?" She asked.

"Great question." Jeb smiled "I was getting to that. My job is not only to supervise this operation but also to alter his DNA while it is taking place. This will allow us to insert the wings and let his body do the rest of the work."

Then Jeb began to assign jobs to everyone. I struggled against the straps. I had to get out of here before they messed me up for good. I didn't want six wings anyway.

"Alright. Let's get to work." Jeb rubbed his hands together excitedly. Boy did his face look in need of a good punch.

They turned me over and took off my shirt. I tried to get away, but they must have suspected that because they each held me down until I was secure again. They even velcroed my wings which made me even more furious.

Jeb stood in front of a computer and tested a few things before giving the others the sign.

They went to work, all doing their jobs. They scurried around the table, hardly noticing me.

A man motioned to another of the Whitecoats who brought some utensils. I winced. I couldn't see them very well, since I was facing the table. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw him pick up a knife that looked almost like an exact-o-knife. I tensed. This was bad. Really bad.

Just then, the door opened. I heard a Whitecoat rush in. "The others are awake!" He announced.

The man dropped his knife, much to my delight.

Jeb sighed. "Alright. We'll finish this another time." They flipped me over and I sighed in relief as they left the room. I wouldn't be turned into a six-winged weirdo. For now at least.

A/N: Please review! Say "Veela" in your review if you have read my author notes! Alright, 3 more chapters to go! But Arthur barely made it…Could this possibly mean that Arthur will have 6 wings, instead of 2? Keep reading and find out!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I could never write Maximum Ride. Nor do I claim to.

A/N: Well then, this be chapter 12. Do enjoy it. I can't wait for the Maximum Ride movie. Hopefully I'll get lots and lots of reviews once this is finally completed. At the moment, I'm working on a new Kingdom Hearts fan fiction. So I'm excited about that. Well, enjoy!

The next day, I was surprised to see Angel walk in to my room. She smiled ever so sweetly, but I couldn't help noticing that she was free to roam around. Something was up.

She trotted up and sat down in a chair next to my table. I smiled. "Hey Angel."

She grinned back. "Hello!"

"What are you doing free?" I asked.

She leaned in close. "Can you keep a secret?" I nodded. "I'm working pretending to be on Itex's side in case anything bad happens so I can get Max and the others out of here."

"Oh I see." I grinned "That's a good plan."

"Yeah, it is." Angel agreed, nodding her head her little curls bouncing. "Max thought of it."

"So are the others okay?" I asked, worried.

"Yes, they're fine. I think Ari took them to look around."

"What do you think of Ari?"

"I think he's changed." She smiled "He's really nice."

"Yeah. I hope so." I said quietly.

Angel got up "Come on!" She unlatched my straps. I felt a surge of excitement rush through me. Was she going to let me out? "I'm supposed to take you on the tour. Maybe we'll run into the Flock on the way." She winked.

I got up quickly; glad to be free of the table. I rubbed my arms. They hurt from being pressed down so tightly. I never wanted to be strapped to that thing ever again.

We walked out of the door and through the white hall ways. This place looked almost exactly like a hospital.

Angel showed me some of their hideous and strange experiments, but I was too nervous to really look at any of them.

The two of us turned a corner and ran into Max, Iggy, Fang, Nudge, Gasman and Ari.

Nudge was the first to speak. "Arthur!" She ran to hug me.

Gazzy quickly followed suit. "We were really worried about you!" He exclaimed.

"I'm okay." I promised. Although, I honestlyy wasn't sure if I was.

I looked up at the older members of the Flock. Fang's face was stone, like always. Max looked surprised and Iggy was smiling. "Hello again." I greeted quietly.

Iggy ran up to me "Look what the cat dragged in!" He chuckled and slapped my back a little too hard.

I smiled sadly, although he couldn't see it. "I'm glad to see you too."

Walking up to Max, I gave her a small look of uncertainty. "Hey Max."

She grinned "Hi Arthur." I figured that this was enough. She wasn't exactly the hugging type.

But neither was Fang. He smiled at me, slightly and nodded his head.

A/N: Please review! Also say "Oathkeeper" (you'll get it if you're a KH fan, trust me) in your review if you have read my author notes. Thanks for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Maximum Ride. It would rock if I did, but I don't.

A/N: Aw man, here comes the sad part. The second to last chapter. I hope it makes you guys cry because it's been a long time right? Let me know if it does. Thanks for reading, please review!!

When I awoke, I figured it was night. I had no close but I guessed because of the lack of Whitecoats passing by my window.

The door opened swiftly to my surprise. Ari rushed in. "Quick! We're getting you out of here!" He told me.

My heart began to beat fast out of excitement. I couldn't wait to get out, to feel to breeze, to be free. I know I had only been there for a few days but really, I couldn't wait to get out.

Ari unlatched my arms and legs. I shook them and then ran to the door.

"How are we getting out?" I asked him as we ran through the halls.

Ari stopped me. "The Flock is about to be exterminated."

I gasped. "We have to help them!"

"We will!" Ari whispered fiercely. "Angel and I have a plan." He looked at me seriously "Are you in?"

I nodded at once. "I'm in." Anything to help my Flock. They were my family. I would do everything in my power to save them.

"So what's the plan?" I inquired as we rushed through the hallways. No one was in sight. They must all be preparing for the termination. Thinking of that made me run harder. I wouldn't lose them. I was determined. I wouldn't fail them like I did Gabriella.

"You and Angel are going to fight off the Whitecoats while I break Max and the others free. Got it?"

"Got it." I confirmed.

We reached a door that lead to the outside. I felt the fresh air rush through my hair, my wings and caress my bear chest.

I didn't stop running. I couldn't. I would die trying if I had to.

The Whitecoats were closing in on the cage. I saw Max's face. It told me that there was hardly any hope left. That was all I needed.

I opened my wings and let the wind catch them. It felt good to fly again. The wind had always been my friend when I had no one else. It had been there, when no one else was. I felt her sweet touch. It gave me confidence, strength. Oh how I loved the wind.

Ari was running behind me. I looked back at him. He gave me a thumbs up that meant to keep going and he would follow. I nodded to him and turned back to the cage that was coming up fast.

I landed on my feet, right next to Angel. She was holding a metal bar in her hands. I grinned; she was a fierce little thing wasn't she?

"Arthur!" Some of the Flock members called out, glad to see me. I looked back and smiled.

Then I set to kicking and punching. Ari arrived and started biting the cage open. I covered him. The Whitecoats were pretty easy targets.

Maybe that "preparation" had been a good thing after all. I was mowing them down one by one.

Angel however was far more efficient. She sent the scientists flying with that bar of hers.

I heard a snap and the cage was open. The Flock was running out one by one. "Go!" I yelled. They each took off in a hurry, snapping open their wings. Just in time, because the Whitecoats were bringing out guns.

Angel flew off after the Flock and Ari soon after. Confused I twisted around to watch them go.

"Arthur! Watch out!" Angel screamed. I turned just before I felt a searing pain. I had felt it before.

"No!" Nudge yelled as the other Flock members watched in horror.

I looked down. I had been shot by my heart. I was bleeding furiously.

Above Angel looked away and started crying. Max's face was twisted, feeling my pain. Fang's poker face was gone, revealing the sadness.

Max swooped down and caught me before I fell. I saw my life flash before my eyes. I saw Gabriella, I saw the Flock, I saw Ari, I saw Jeb, and then I saw the Flock before me. I was disoriented.

Gazzy's face was wet with tears. "Arthur! Arthur, talk to me!"

"Hey Gasman." I smiled weakly.

"Don't die!" Nudge flew over and touched my arm. "You can't do this!"

"Come on guys," Max said quietly. "We've got to get out of here."

We flew through the air, the wind blowing my hair comfortingly. It was saying goodbye to me. I lifted my wings slightly. Oh how I loved my wings. They shined brightly in the moonlight.

It was a clear night, just how I liked it. Warm and the breeze slightly cool. The stars and moon were out.

"Good bye guys." I said softly.

"We have to land." Angel said urgently. "We have to say goodbye before it's too late."

Max paused before looking at Fang. He nodded "We're far enough away from the School. We'll bury him in the morning."

They landed softly and Max laid me on the ground.

Angel came first. "Arthur, I'm going to miss you." She smiled, sensing my fear of death. "You'll go to Heaven." She assured me, hugging me warmly. I hugged back weakly.

Nudge stepped up next. "Arthur, you're great. I'll miss you too." She cried, also hugging me.

Gasman walked up after her. "Listen, Arthur…I really look up to you. You're pretty cool… It was nice having you on the team." He was crying softly.

Iggy touched my arm. "It was nice knowing you. I'm glad I met you."

"You too." I smiled softly.

Ari came up awkwardly. "I'm sorry like I said. You're a great friend. Thanks." He smiled.

Then came Fang. "It was good sharing a room with you bud. I'll miss having you around. You take care of yourself okay?" He held out his fist, and I punched it.

Max came last. "Good bye Arthur. You keep flying okay?" She managed. She was never that good at goodbyes.

I smiled weakly. "Thanks for being my family. Remember me alright?" Then everything was dark. My heart stopped.

A/N: sniff sniff Aw…Sad huh? Say "moon" in your review if you have read my author notes. One more chapter! I'll miss you guys!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: James Patterson is a genius at writing. I'm not. Make sense?

A/N: Well, this is the end of the road isn't it? Alright this makes me sad. Thank you so much for reading and thank you so much if you have been with Arthur from the beginning. I will still answer all your reviews because I love reviews. There's lots in store coming for me. I'm working on an X-Men, Hollow Kingdom, a new Kingdom Hearts and a Harry Potter fan fiction (not all at once for course, but I'm currently working on these.) And of course there's always my Van Helsing fan fiction, so yes, stay with me. Thank you for taking time out to read this. Without further ado, I present…chapter 14.

Max awoke the next day. Her face was dirty and streaked with tears, just like the others were. She felt almost stupid about crying over someone she hadn't known very well. But that's what he had taught them wasn't it? That it was alright to cry, to show emotion. He had done it unconsciously of course.

She missed him already. His smiling face, his kind words. She stood up and watched his cold face. Her silent tears dropped on him.

She smiled sadly. He had taught them that no one was a monster, or a mutant. That everyone had a purpose and that everyone was special.

She remembered that small time she had known him. He was a good kid.

The wind blew, tossing her hair. It seemed forlorn, like it missed him too. Max stood up and screamed "Why?! Why does someone so dang nice have to die?!" The wind blew harder. It understood. She fell to her knees. Death was a painful thing.

Fang had woken up by now. He got up and walked over to her. He had never seen her like this. Max was always strong. It must be hard to be so strong.

He held her arms and they both watched the sky. Silence was a comforting thing sometimes, Fang had learned.

Together, without a word, they stood up and began to dig. By now, the other mutants had begun to rub their eyes and yawn weakly.

They gathered around and watched as Max and Fang solemnly set Arthur in his grave and cover him up.

The Flock stood silent and thought. They would miss him. Yes, it would be painful. He had been a part of their family, for however short a time. He still was and always would be. They would always remember him.

Max looked up in the sky. A group of birds were circling close by.

And then, the most beautiful and strange thing happened that Max could have ever thought would happen. Arthur's spirit flew out of his grave and joined them.

The others seemed to see him too. She couldn't keep her eyes off how happy he looked. He just smiled and joined the circle. It was so wonderful. And Max knew, as he flew with them that he would be forever in the birds and forever in the wind that accompanied the Flock on their journeys. He would be watching over them. Like a guardian angel.

A/N: wipes eyes with a handkerchief Oh I love this chapter the most. It makes me happy. Well thank you for reading. Say "goodbye" in your review if you have read my author notes. Thank so much! Goodbye!


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